DeWitt, East Syracuse, will examine consolidating police and other services

Maureen Nolan / The Post-StandardEast Syracuse officials, with their counterparts in DeWitt, will examine how to save money by sharing or consolidating services.

East Syracuse wants to find out whether it could save money by consolidating or sharing police services with DeWitt or even with other entities, Mayor Danny Liedka says.

The village and DeWitt will look at all their operations for potential savings, too. They are hiring consultants to study whether they can save money by sharing or consolidating, Liedka said.

The village learned the two governments will receive two state "local government efficiency" grants of $25,000 each to pay for the studies, he said. The local governments have to kick in a 10 percent match. The village will look at pretty much everything, Liedka said. A consultant will provide a fresh set of eyes on the operation, he said.

"There may be things we can do together. There may be things that are better served by the town, there may be things that are bettered served by the village," Liedka said.

The issue of police consolidation is a thorny one, but Liedka says "it never hurts to take a look."

The Onondaga County Sheriff's Office gave the village a proposal for consolidated police services in late winter or early spring, and it showed the village can run its department for about the same amount it would cost the sheriff's department, Liedka said. He said the village asked the office for the proposal.

"We're a small village, a small budget, and we wanted to make sure we're making the right move," Liedka said.